DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1 – 13, in the reply filed on July 22, 2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed August 21, 23 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 – 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Wisnieff et al. (WO 2016/146449 A1).
Wisnieff et al. disclose a composite material (figure 1), comprising: a release material comprising a photoactive polymer (Paragraph 0026); and a thermopolymer material comprising a thermopolymer compound (Paragraph 0042) as in claim 1. With respect to claim 2, the thermopolymer compound is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic (Paragraph 0042). Regarding claim 5, the composite material is a film (Figures 1 and 2). For claim 6, the film comprises a thickness of about lµm-100µm (Paragraph 0026). In claim 8, the film comprises a plurality of layers (Paragraph 0026). With regard to claim 9, a first layer comprises the release material and a second layer comprises the thermopolymer material (Paragraphs 0026 and 0042). Wisnieff et al. further disclose carrier assembly, comprising: a carrier substrate; and the composite material of Claim 1 disposed over the carrier substrate (Figures 1 and 2) as in claim 10. With regard to claim 11, a component disposed over and in contact with the composite material (Figure 2, #22). Wisnieff et al. also disclose wafer assembly, comprising: a wafer substrate; a plurality of components disposed over the wafer substrate; and the composite material of Claim 1 disposed over and in contact with the plurality of components (Figure 2) as in claim 12. With respect to claim 13, a carrier substrate disposed over the composite material (Figure 2, #26).
Claims 1, 2, 4 – 7, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Moore et al. (WO 2014/137801 A1).
Moore et al. disclose a composite material (Figure 1), comprising: a release material comprising a photoactive polymer (All of page 7); and a thermopolymer material comprising a thermopolymer compound (All of page 7) as in claim 1. With respect to claim 2, the thermopolymer compound is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic (All of page 7). As in claim 4, the release material further comprises a photoacid generator (PAG) (Page 12, lines 1 – 9). Regarding claim 5, the composite material is a film (Figure 1, #3). For claim 6, the film comprises a thickness of about lµm-100µm (Page 19, Example 3). With regard to claim 7, the film is a single layer (Figure 1, #3). Wisnieff et al. further disclose carrier assembly, comprising: a carrier substrate; and the composite material of Claim 1 disposed over the carrier substrate (Figure 1) as in claim 10. With regard to claim 11, a component disposed over and in contact with the composite material (Figure 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wisnieff et al. (WO 2016/146449 A1).
Wisnieff et al. disclose a composite material (figure 1), comprising: a release material comprising a photoactive polymer (Paragraph 0026); and a thermopolymer material comprising a thermopolymer compound (Paragraph 0042). However, Wisnieff et al. fail to disclose the thermopolymer material has a glass transition temperature of about 50°C-150°C.
Although Wisnieff et al. does not explicitly teach the limitation of a glass transition temperature of about 50°C-150°C, it is reasonable to presume that said limitations are inherent to the invention. Support for said presumption is found in the use of similar materials (i.e. release layers made of photoactive polymer and a thermopolymer compound) and in the similar production steps (i.e. a coating applied to a surface) used to produce the wafers. The burden is upon the Applicant to prove otherwise. MPEP 2112.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Patricia L Nordmeyer whose telephone number is (571)272-1496. The examiner can normally be reached 10am - 6:30pm EST, Monday - Friday.
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/Patricia L. Nordmeyer/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1788
/pln/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788 August 6, 2026
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